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UT took the opening kickoff and went 56 yards in six plays. Rick Clausen hit C.J. Fayton for 20 yards and Jayson Swain for 13, then Gerald Riggs got the TD from two yards out.
On Ole Miss' third offensive play, Michael Spurlock threw a pass that was intercepted by Vol cornerback Jonathan Wade and returned 19 yards for a touchdown, boosting the lead to 14-0.
Ole Miss took the ensuing kickoff and marched from its 15-yard line to the Vol 33, from which point Will Moseley nailed a 50-yard field goal, narrowing the gap to 14-3.
Wade's interception. Rolling to his right, Spurlock was being pressured from the blind side by Jason Hall when he unloaded an ill-advised pass that hit Wade right in the hands. The converted wide receiver weaved his way into the end zone for a TD that put the Vols on the verge of an early knockout.
Clausen. The cool-headed senior completed six of eight passes for 87 yards in the period.
Tennessee doubled Ole Miss in total offense, piling up 120 yards to the Rebels' 60.
Wilhoit had a 51-yard field goal try blocked by Jayme Mitchell later in the period.
On second-and-10 at the Ole Miss 34-yard line, a Clausen pass slipped off the fingertips of Vol fullback Cory Anderson. A completion there probably would've picked up a first down and perhaps set up a touchdown. Instead, the Vols settled for the blocked field-goal try.
The entire Vol defense. For the quarter it held Ole Miss to minus-15 yards rushing on seven attempts.
Ole Miss managed just 93 yards of total offense in the first half.
Riggs made a nifty 12-yard run to the Ole Miss 8-yard line, putting the Vols in position for Wilhoit's field goal.
Riggs. The senior tailback gained 43 yards on nine carries in the quarter.
With Tennessee controlling the ball, Ole Miss ran just 10 plays all quarter, gaining a mere 17 total yards.
Spurred by the stop, Ole Miss drove 64 yards in 11 plays to score its only touchdown of the day. The big gains were completions of 23 yards to Mike Espy, 14 yards to Taye Biddle and 16 yards to Biddle. Mico McSwain got the TD on a two-yard end sweep, narrowing the gap to 20-10 with 10:18 left to play
Tennessee marched from its 20 to the Ole Miss 21 on the ensuing possession only to see Clausen stopped short on a fourth-and-two bootleg.
Parys Haralson shook the ball loose from Spurlock on the Rebels' first snap and Antwan Stewart recovered at the Ole Miss 13-yard line. Arian Foster got the touchdown five plays later on a one-yard dive, boosting the lead to 27-10 with 2:02 remaining.
A 56-yard run by McSwain and a 12-yard scramble by Spurlock got Ole Miss to the Vol 1-yard line. Jason Allen tipped Spurlock's pass over the middle, however, and teammate Corey Campbell intercepted in the end zone with two seconds remaining.
Haralson's strip of Spurlock, and Stewart's subsequent recovery at the Rebel 13-yard line. That enabled Tennessee to extend the lead from 10 points to 17 and seal the deal.
Haralson. On the third play of Ole Miss' final possession, he forced another Spurlock fumble, although this one was recovered by the Rebels.
If you discount Mico McSwain's 56-yard jaunt in the final two minutes, Ole Miss' other 24 rushes resulted in minus-4 yards.
Game #: 1109 Site: Knoxville Date: Oct. 1 Conference: SECW Coach Match-up: For the Vols - Fulmer and for the Rebels - Orgeron
